'Unity March' to celebrate Sardar Patel's legacy has become 'heartbeat of nation': Mandaviya

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said the 'Unity March' to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of India's first home minister and iconic freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel has become the "heartbeat of a united nation" and "national movement of youth power".

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, through MY Bharat, is organising the nationwide Sardar@150 Unity March padyatra with an aim to deepen national pride, civic engagement, and youth participation across the country.

The initiative was launched on October 6 by Mandaviya as part of the Government of India's two-year celebrations (2024–2026), honouring the monumental contributions and enduring legacy of the Iron Man of India.

Briefing the media on the progress of the ongoing district-level padyatras and outlining the key highlights of the National Padyatra at a press conference here, Mandaviya said, "From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kutch to Kohima, lakhs of people have walked together for national unity.

"This is a celebration of the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, while also being a national movement to channel youth energy into nation-building, towards the goal of Viksit Bharat." He said over 10 lakh people participated in 842 padyatras across India in the run-up to the 'National March'. The national level padyatra will begin from November 26 and culminate on December 6.

"Over the past few months, the entire nation has been moving in one spirit. From north to south and east to west, a total of 842 padyatras have been organised. This number is not just a statistic; this is the heartbeat of a united nation. The message of Swachhata, Swadeshi and Aatmanirbharta are at the heart of the padyatra." Inspired by the ideas of Sardar Patel and the vision of Viksit Bharat articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the campaign encompasses a range of activities guided by the overarching theme of Ek Bharat, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, a release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said.

The campaign started with digital activities, which included a reel competition, essay writing, and the Sardar@150 Young Leaders Quiz. As part of the on-ground initiatives, Padyatras are being conducted at the district level across the country, and at Assembly Constituency level in some states.

A yatra of district representatives from all districts to Gujarat is also underway, building up to the national padyatra. The two-month-long campaign will conclude on December 6.

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Khadse, was also present on the occasion. PTI PDS PDS AH AH